East Midlands drivers are being urged to take initiative to reduce congestion caused by major roadworks starting today on the M1. The works are part of a £120m upgrade that are set to last 18 months.

Highways England will be working on 7.5 miles of the route in a project which it says will make journeys faster and more reliable by providing an extra lane in each direction, particularly around East Midlands Airport. The work is part of a major government investment worth £15bn due for completion in winter 2018.

Finlay Clark, Head of Waze UK says:

"Traffic is slowing around the UK and whilst investment in the East Midlands road infrastructure and upgrades are welcome, the short-term effect will cause misery for hundreds of thousands of motorists who use the M1 daily. We are already seeing drivers getting increasing frustrated at slow speeds and constant jams but there are certain steps that can be taken to avoid the worst of congestion.

“Motorists should avoid traffic hotspots when they can and consider alternative routes to their destinations. Waze can re-route drivers around traffic in real-time by tracking other road users' trips. The free app will get people to their destination safely and effectively in the fastest time possible, by guiding drivers on the best time to embark upon their journey and which roads to avoid.”

The M1 carries more than 130,000 vehicles per day between Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. It will be upgraded to a smart motorway between Diseworth (junction 23a) and Risley (junction 25). Between Diseworth and Kegworth (junction 24) the hard shoulder will be used at peak times, and between Kegworth and Risley it will be permanently converted to a fourth traffic lane.

Login

Verify your identity and download immediately.

1. Choose a social login method 2. Grant ISEBOX permission

Or login with your email address - we respect your privacy and will never post to your social profile unless you ask us to. For more information, please read our terms and conditions and privacy policy.